Dial indicator gauges are widely used in the machining industry for inspecting and measuring dimensions in a machined work product. Typically, an indicator tip is attached to the movable end of the stationary dial indicator gauge and is brought into contact with the machined surface of the work product to be inspected. The distance traveled by the indicator tip for it to contact the surface is indicated on the dial indicator gauge and is an indication of the measured dimension.
Indicator tips are available in a variety of configurations for measuring dimensions on different types of surfaces and workpieces. For instance, a straight tip can be used to measure the depth of a machined surface, whereas a tip having a ball bearing on the end for contacting the surface to be measured can be used to measure the eccentricity of a machined surface, e.g., the dimensions of a cam. Furthermore, an angled tip can be used, for instance, to measure a surface which is inaccessible to a straight indicator tip. Often, measurements need to be made on the same workpiece using more than one type of indicator tip. In this case, the tip must be changed between measurements, or multiple workpieces must be measured first with one type of tip, and then measured again with another type of tip.